An INLS 530 Pathfinder by Trish Ladd for the Chapel Hill Public Library
About this Pathfinder
A pathfinder contains resources that will help you get started in researching your topic, not a comprehensive list of all resources available. This pathfinder should be used as a starting point to familiarize yourself with the different kinds of resources available at the Chapel Hill Public Library that relate to Learning Objective 1.03 "The learner will examine the causes of the American Revolution" of the North Carolina Standard Course of Study for Grade 10 Social Studies. The resources in this pathfinder include search terms and areas of the library that might be helpful places to begin a search, as well as a list of some well-reviewed nonfiction and reference books as well as online resources and multimedia available at the library.
The Beginnings of the American Revolution
Famous depiction of a riot that led to the deaths of five civilians at the hands of British troops on March 5, 1770 known as The Boston Massacre.
During the Seven Years' War (1756-63), sometimes known as the French and Indian War, British officials realized that their thirteen American colonies often disregarded official legislation regarding taxation, like the Navigation Acts, and imperial authority. During the conflict, colonial merchants continued to trade with the enemy and smuggle goods, while colonial assemblies repeatedly refused to provide British military officials with men and supplies. Parliament passed the Stamp Act in 1765 to raise revenue to pay its war debts, the first of many taxation laws that colonists would protest, saying that such taxation violated the rights given to their internal colonial assemblies. As British debt worsened and American unrest rose, Parliament began to pass laws to exert authority over the colonists, making the situation steadily more tense, resulting in riots, protests like the Boston Tea Party, and armed violence such as the Boston Massacre (see above).--Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia
The Search Begins!
Search keywords
These terms are a good way to find information about this topic in a searchengine or the library's catalog.
American Revolution Causes
Revolutionary War Causes
American War of Independence Causes
"No Taxation Without Representation" (the quotation marks around these terms will insure results are about the whole phrase and not related to the individual words)
Search Subject Headings
Subject Headings describe what books in the catalog are about and are a great way to search since all libraries will use the same subject headings. These will work in the Chapel Hill Public Library's catalog , or any other library you go to!
United States--History--Revolution, 1775-1783 (this is the general heading for the American Revolution)
United States--History--Revolution, 1775-1783--Causes
United States--History--Revolution, 1775-1783--Sources
United States--Politics and government--To 1775
Great Britain--Politics and government--1760-1789
Revolutionaries--United States--History--18th Century
Boston Massacre, 1770
Boston Tea Party, 1773
This political cartoon by Benjamin Franklin became a call for unity among the American colonies.
Call Numbers
Since books in the library are organized with the Dewey Decimal system, books about similar topics will be shelved near each other. Look under this number for more books about the American Revolution:
973.3
This number is used for the American Revolution, so anything beginning with this number on the spine will relate to some aspect of it. Most books relating to the causes will be found near the beginning of the range (ex. simply 973.3 or 973.31). Don't forget to check the same number range in the children's section, especially if you need images!
Some Great Resources to start with!
Reference
The reference section is often overlooked when researching topics because the books cannot be checked out, but many of the books here contain helpful information, particularly if you want to familiarize yourself with the topic first! Besides the usual encyclopedias and dictionaries, you might also find these useful:
Revolutionary America, 1763-1800 by Thomas L. Purvis R973 Pur -- This book contains statistics and tables relating to every aspect of life during the Revolutionary period from climate to crime to birth rates and more.
The Encyclopedia of Colonial and Revolutionary America edited by John M. Faragher R973.3032 Enc -- This resource is great for looking up terms or people since it is an encyclopedia and therefore arranged alphabetically by topic. Most of the articles are very detailed and contain many illustrations.
The Annals of America R973 Ann -- This series of books covers American history from 1493 to 2001. Volume 2, Resistance and Revolution 1755-1783 has the most information about causes of the revolution, although you might look back at volume 1 for some longer term problems. The books are made up of transcripts of letters are speeches, arranged by date, with introductory notes and illustrations.
Nonfiction Books
These books will go into more detail than the reference sources and can be taken out of the library.
Countdown to Independence by Natalie Bober Y973.311 Bob -- Beginning in 1760 when George III became King, this book describes how individuals, ideas, and actions eventually brought about the unexpected and far from inevitable emergence of a new nation. Chapters alternate between England and the Colonies. Includes illustrations, bibliography, and index.
The Real Revolution: The Global Story of American Independence by Marc Aronson J973.3 Aro -- As John Adams said, the war we think of as the Revolution was merely "an effect and consequence... the real Revolution was in the minds of the people". This book goes into great depth about events as far back as the 1750 triumph over the French in India and how such events led to English subjects gradually thinking of themselves as Americans. Includes numerous illustrations, lengthy bibliography, and a time line. (Even though this is shelved in the children's section, it's recommended for students in grades 7 or higher by the School Library Journal).
We Hold These Truths--: and other Words that Made America by Paul Aron 973.3 Aro -- The days leading up to the Revolutionary War and how many famous stories about the time are not actually true or misconstrued, despite changing the course of history. Includes bibliography and index.
The Long Fuse: How England Lost the American Colonies, 1760-1785 by Don Cook 973.3 Coo -- Cook argues that most fault for the revolution and war lies with Britain, specifically George III, and argues his case with many primary documents, including personal correspondence, speeches, military dispatches, and debates. An interesting look at the politics from the British point of view.
The Marketplace of Revolution: How Consumer Politics Shaped American Independence by T.H. Breen 973.31 Bre -- Examines the role of ordinary people in preparing the path for independence between 1763 and 1775, who were more influenced by economics than political ideals. Includes illustrations, bibliography, and index.
Historical Fiction
If you have time, reading historical fiction can be a great way to get into the mindset of a time period and get a more personalized view of how normal people lived and what they were feeling during the larger historical events you learn about in school. These books are great places to start:
Or Give My Death: A Novel of Patrick Henry's Family by Ann Rinaldi YF Rin -- Narrated by Patrick Henry's two young daughters, the girls must learn how to run the house and manage the servants after their mother succumbs to insanity, all the while fearing that they too will share her fate and dealing with the growing fear and excitement of possible revolution.
Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson JF And -- Even though this book is shelved in the children's section, it's recommended for grades six to ten by School Library Journal and adds the unique perspective of Isabel, a slave to a cruel Loyalist family who decides to win a chance at freedom by spying for the Colonialist Rebels. With historical notes and a well-researched setting (New York), this book reminds us that, though our nation was fighting for its freedom, twenty pecent of its population was still in chains.
Just Jane: A Daughter of England Caught in the Struggle of the American Revolution by William Lavender YF Lav -- This novel set on the brink of the Revolutionary War is about an orphaned girl newly arrived in South Carolina from England who is torn between the Loyalist feelings of her Uncle and the outspoken patriot beliefs of her cousin.
To protest high taxes on tea, American colonist threw an entire shipment into the Boston harbor on December 16, 1773 in what is now called The Boston Tea Party.
Multimedia
The library's DVD collection contains documentaries that may help you understand the time period better. The best one for this topic is definitely:
Liberty!: The American Revolution directed by Ellen Hovde, DVD 973.3 Lib -- This PBS documentary covers the events leading up to the war through the writing of the Constitution through dramatic readings of letters and diaries of the time period, comments by historians, and dramatic recreations.
NCLive
NCLive provides all residents of North Carolina with searchable access to a variety of great databases. It can be accessed here directly from Chapel Hill Public Library. If you wish to access it from home, you will need to ask at the reference desk for the password. You can search all of the NCLive databases using keyword or advanced search, or narrow down what you want by topic. Here are some helpful databases to start with:
Academic Search Premier--This database contains journal and periodical articles as well as full text searchable copies of famous documents from history such as speeches and the Declaration of Independence. Just use the search function to find all documents related to the revolution.
NetLibrary--NetLibrary has a huge collection of E-books that you can read online. Try enclosing your search terms in quotation marks (i.e. "american revolution" instead of american revolution) for more relevent results. Includes books and pamphlets published at the time, as well as modern scholarly works.
North American Women's Letters and Diaries--This database has just what the title says: scanned images from women's letters and diaries from colonial times to 1950. These would offer good primary sources if you would like a personal perspective of life just before and during the American Revolution. You can search by keyword or browse by year.
Internet Resources
There are endless resources on the Internet, but some are better than others. The following websites are from reputable hosts known for accuracy and good research practices.
The Library of Congress Guide to the American Revolution -- This portion of the Library of Congress website contains digital versions of manuscripts, broadsides, government documents, books, and maps related to the Revolution. It also contains outside links and bibliographies for both general and younger readers.
The National Park Service's American Revolution Page -- The National Park Service has information about which parks and other government funding sites relating to the war that you can visit (there are six in North Carolina), as well as online information divided by country (Canada, Great Britain, or the US), a comprehensive time line, and how the war affects us even today.
American Archives' Documents of the American Revolution -- This site contains extensive primary documents, including personal letters, from the Revolutionary time period which are searchable as well as keyword searchable (meaning you can look for words within documents). They are also organized by category for easy browsing.
Yale's Avalon Project -- This is another great collection of primary documents, mostly government petitions, acts, and speeches from both sides of the Atlantic. They are organized by date to show a clear progression.
National Archives' Pictures of the Revolutionary War -- This collection contains engravings and paintings from the time period of the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party as well as political cartoons of the day.
Organizations and Associations
These organizations are dedicated to preserving the history of the American Revolution and educating the public about it.
The North Carolina Society, Sons of the American Revolution -- Although the SAR is often focused more on geneology and battle recreations, they do have a detailed time line and many links about the Revolutionary time period specific to North Carolina on their website.
The Black Loyalists' Heritage Society -- This society is dedicated to preserving the history of Black Loyalists, who were slaves offered freedom by Great Britain if they escaped their rebel Colonist masters and fought on the side of the British. Their website contains a detailed history of these slaves, some of whom were recaptured while others resettled as free men in colonies in Florida and Canada.
Historic Hillsborough -- To get a better feel for the time period, you may consider visiting Historic Hillsborough, just a twenty minute drive from Chapel Hill. Many original homes, churches, and other buildings have been preserved from colonial times and most have tours that will give you more information and a real sense of society at the turn of the Revolution.
Causes of the American Revolution
An INLS 530 Pathfinder by Trish Ladd for the Chapel Hill Public LibraryAbout this Pathfinder
A pathfinder contains resources that will help you get started in researching your topic, not a comprehensive list of all resources available. This pathfinder should be used as a starting point to familiarize yourself with the different kinds of resources available at the Chapel Hill Public Library that relate to Learning Objective 1.03 "The learner will examine the causes of the American Revolution" of the North Carolina Standard Course of Study for Grade 10 Social Studies. The resources in this pathfinder include search terms and areas of the library that might be helpful places to begin a search, as well as a list of some well-reviewed nonfiction and reference books as well as online resources and multimedia available at the library.The Beginnings of the American Revolution
Photo Credit: PBS
During the Seven Years' War (1756-63), sometimes known as the French and Indian War, British officials realized that their thirteen American colonies often disregarded official legislation regarding taxation, like the Navigation Acts, and imperial authority. During the conflict, colonial merchants continued to trade with the enemy and smuggle goods, while colonial assemblies repeatedly refused to provide British military officials with men and supplies. Parliament passed the Stamp Act in 1765 to raise revenue to pay its war debts, the first of many taxation laws that colonists would protest, saying that such taxation violated the rights given to their internal colonial assemblies. As British debt worsened and American unrest rose, Parliament began to pass laws to exert authority over the colonists, making the situation steadily more tense, resulting in riots, protests like the Boston Tea Party, and armed violence such as the Boston Massacre (see above).--Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia
The Search Begins!
Search keywordsThese terms are a good way to find information about this topic in a search engine or the library's catalog.
Search Subject Headings
Subject Headings describe what books in the catalog are about and are a great way to search since all libraries will use the same subject headings. These will work in the Chapel Hill Public Library's catalog , or any other library you go to!
Photo Credit: US Department of State
Call Numbers
Since books in the library are organized with the Dewey Decimal system, books about similar topics will be shelved near each other. Look under this number for more books about the American Revolution:
- 973.3
This number is used for the American Revolution, so anything beginning with this number on the spine will relate to some aspect of it. Most books relating to the causes will be found near the beginning of the range (ex. simply 973.3 or 973.31). Don't forget to check the same number range in the children's section, especially if you need images!Some Great Resources to start with!
ReferenceThe reference section is often overlooked when researching topics because the books cannot be checked out, but many of the books here contain helpful information, particularly if you want to familiarize yourself with the topic first! Besides the usual encyclopedias and dictionaries, you might also find these useful:
Nonfiction Books
These books will go into more detail than the reference sources and can be taken out of the library.
Historical Fiction
If you have time, reading historical fiction can be a great way to get into the mindset of a time period and get a more personalized view of how normal people lived and what they were feeling during the larger historical events you learn about in school. These books are great places to start:
Annotation information taken from these review sources.
Photo Credit: Encyclopedia Britannica
Multimedia
The library's DVD collection contains documentaries that may help you understand the time period better. The best one for this topic is definitely:
NCLive
NCLive provides all residents of North Carolina with searchable access to a variety of great databases. It can be accessed here directly from Chapel Hill Public Library. If you wish to access it from home, you will need to ask at the reference desk for the password. You can search all of the NCLive databases using keyword or advanced search, or narrow down what you want by topic. Here are some helpful databases to start with:
Internet Resources
There are endless resources on the Internet, but some are better than others. The following websites are from reputable hosts known for accuracy and good research practices.
Organizations and Associations
These organizations are dedicated to preserving the history of the American Revolution and educating the public about it.